I don’t think I could be more excited for The Big Game tomorrow! The last time the Packers won the Super Bowl, I was recovering from surgery on my couch in our UW-Green Bay apartment. My parents were there for the weekend, and I watched the game from a pain-medicine haze during our small “party”. My parents told me that driving back to their downtown hotel after the game, the streets were filled with excited Packer fans, and it was almost as if the game had been played in Green Bay!
This year, I’ve been hoping for the chance to do a Super Bowl party with each post-season Packer win. But after the nail-biter of a NFC Championship game, I told Brian I wasn’t sure I’d be a good hostess given how stressed I get during the game! But Brian wanted to have a party, so it’s on! I have warned everyone, though, that if they want to see normal me, they’ll come at 5, before the game starts at 5:30!
So, in an effort to save myself clicking all over the internet to find my recipes, I’m going to post them all here. AND… I got a call from Chipotle that I won 25 burritos for Sunday evening! How awesome is that? Along with the 10lbs of fresh Wisconsin cheese my parents sent, this is going to be a DELICOUS party!!
Easy Cheese Appetizer (from the lovely Beauty and Bedlam -it’s essential to click over to see how delicious this looks!!)
- 1 envelope of Good Seasons Italian Dressing
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 2 TB water
- 2 TB minced green onions
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 12 oz package Monterrey Jack
- 12 oz package Sharp Cheddar
- 8 oz package cream cheese (not softened)
- 4 oz jar diced pimentos, drained
Mix 1st six ingredients together.
Cut cheeses into small squares and arrange in an alternate pattern.
Pour pimentos over cheeses then pour dressing mix over all.
Marinate overnight in fridge.
Drain excess dressing (optional). For optimum presentation, draining the dressing “may” be recommended, but for the most delicious factor, excess dressing is yummy. 
Serve with crackers. (Since the layers are cheese, cream cheese, cheese, it’s easy to get on the cracker, but keep a fork near by to assist if necessary.)
Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites (from Two Peas and their Pod… definitely click over to see how good these look! I am SO EXCITED to make these with some fresh Wisconsin cheese sauce for dipping!)
Soft Pretzels:
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 package active dry yeast
3 ounces unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
3 quarts water
3/4 cup baking soda
1 whole egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
Coarse sea salt
For the Pretzels: Combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.
Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Bring the water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and add the baking soda.
Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 ounces each. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape. Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make the pretzel bites. Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches. We did about 15 bites at a time. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon. Place pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.
Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating. Serve with cheese sauce, recipe below.
Cheddar cheese sauce:
½ Tablespoon unsalted butter
½ Tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup milk
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated
For the cheese sauce:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese until smooth and all of the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
*If you want to make cinnamon and sugar pretzel bites-instead of adding salt, sprinkle the bites with cinnamon and sugar. For the frosting mix-soft cream cheese-about 3 T, powdered sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a little bit of milk. Whisk together. Add more milk if it is too thick, if it is too thin, add more powdered sugar. I don’t measure. I just guess until the consistency is right.*
Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip
Pizza Dippers (using my tried-and-true deep dish pizza crust/breadstick recipe)
Rotel Dip (with sausage, just for my love)
Chocolate Scotcheroos
Fresh cheese curds (was dying to make my own hot, fried cheese curds, but that would be a bit too much to undertake given I’ve never fried anything in my life!)
Leinenkugel’s beer (hard to find in Alabama!!)
If you’re around, you’re welcome to join us! The more the merrier… as long as you’re cheering for the Pack 🙂
